Energy Sector Resilience: Assessing Risks, Needs, and Costs

Participation in this panel is included with conference registration. Please register on the main event webpage. This panel webpage provides more details on this specific panel, and allows attendees to save event details to their online calendars. 

2:00 - 3:00 PM:  Energy Sector Resilience: Assessing Risks, Needs, and Costs

3:00 - 3:30 PM:  Breakout Sessions

• CONTEXT:

• • The dramatic impacts of the February 2021 extreme cold front in a large swath of the country have brought resilience to the forefront as an issue of focus, both for the grid and for the energy sector writ-large.

• QUESTIONS:

• • Are there lessons learned coming out of this crisis? 

  • How are different parts of the energy sector approaching this? 

  • How is resilience priced into utility contracts and facility investments? 

  • What new business models exist that support enhanced resilience in response to extreme weather due to climate change? 

  • Do current policies and regulations adequately address the associated issues and risks? 

  • This panel will explore these and other issues related to this important topic.

• MODERATOR:

• • Aaron Annable, Energy Counsellor, Embassy of Canada

• SPEAKERS:

• • Dr. Joshua Rhodes, Research Associate, Webber Energy Group, University of Texas at Austin, and Founding Partner, IdeaSmiths LLC

  • Dr. Blake Shaffer - Assistant Professor, Department of Economics and School of Public Policy, University of Calgary

  • Dr. Robin Hytowitz, Engineer, Electric Power Research Institute

  • Shawn Bennett, Advisor, Office of Energy Assurance, U.S. Air Force

Dr. Joshua Rhodes

Research Associate, Webber Energy Group, University of Texas at Austin, and Founding Partner, IdeaSmiths LLC

Joshua D. Rhodes, Ph.D. is a Research Associate at The University of Texas at Austin, and a Founding partner of IdeaSmiths LLC. His current work is in the area of smart grid and the bulk electricity system, including spatial system-level applications and impacts of energy efficiency, resource planning, distributed generation and storage. He is also interested in policy and the impacts that good policy can have on the efficiency of the micro and macro economy. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes and is an AXIOS Expert Voice. He sits on the boards of the Texas Solar Energy Society and Pecan Street Inc. (Data Advisory Board). He holds a double bachelors in Mathematics and Economics from Stephen F. Austin State University, a masters in Computational Mathematics from Texas A&M University, a masters in Architectural Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. He enjoys mountain biking, rock climbing and a good cup of coffee.

Dr. Blake Shaffer

Assistant Professor, Department of Economics and School of Public Policy, University of Calgary 

Blake Shaffer is an assistant professor in the department of economics and school of public policy at the University of Calgary. His work focusses on electricity markets, climate policy and energy transitions. He uses empirical methods to evaluate policy effectiveness and better understand consumer and firm behaviour. Prior to returning to academia, Shaffer had a 15 year career in energy trading, specializing in electricity, natural gas and emissions markets. He holds a PhD in economics from the University of Calgary, Master of Philosophy in economics from the University of Cambridge and a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from Queen’s University. He has recently held visiting scholar and Fulbright postdoctoral scholar positions at the Toulouse School of Economics and Stanford University. His recent research has been published in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, the Canadian Journal of Economics and the Energy Journal. His popular writing has appeared in several Canadian media outlets. Shaffer has also served as policy advisor for the governments of Alberta, British Columbia and Canada on various energy and environmental policy matters.

Dr. Robin Broder Hytowitz

Engineer, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)

Robin Broder Hytowitz is a principal project engineer in Grid Operations and Planning at EPRI, focusing on wholesale market design and operations, supply resilience, and renewable integration. Dr. Hytowitz leads a North American Independent System Operator (ISO)/Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) working group on price formation in energy markets at EPRI, and is the EPRI PI for an ARPA-E PERFORM award on delivery risk in wholesale markets. Prior to EPRI, she completed a PhD at the Johns Hopkins University and worked part-time in the Office of Energy Policy and Innovation at FERC. Robin received her master’s degree in electrical engineering from Arizona State University, a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College, Columbia University, and was a Fulbright Fellow in Denmark.

Shawn Bennett

Advisor, Office of Energy Assurance, United States Air Force

Shawn is an advisor with the Air Force Office of Energy Assurance, where he focuses on enhancing energy resilience at AF installations across the US by developing third-party financed energy projects.  He is also piloting an energy-as-a-service demonstration within the Department of Defense.  Shawn is an engineer and economist by training, and previously worked at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Siemens.